Box-setting device



July 20, 1965 -J. E. MoRELL 3,195,881

Box-SETTING D EvIcE Filed oct. s1, 196s 2 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORNEY Y wwwJuly 20, 1965 J. E. MoRELL 3,195,881

Box-SETTING DEVICE INVETOR John E. Morell ATTORNEY gli' United StatesPatent O 3,195,881 BOX-SETTING DEVICE John E. Morell, P.0. Box 191,Alpine, Tex. Filed Oct. 31, 1963, Ser. No. 320,285 3 Claims. (Cl.269-216) This invention relates to a mechanical tool and, moreparticularly, to means for accurately installing an electricalswitchbox.

In the construction of a house or other building having electricalservices upon completion, numerous electrical svvitchboxes (such as thestandard Raco, Steel City, or Bowers switchboxes) must be installed onthe studs, two-by-fours, or other structural members prior to theinstallation of the wallboard, plaster, or other wall surface.y Theseswitchboxes must be secured in such manner that ythe outer surface, oropening, extends outwardly from the stud or other structural member aprecise distance in order that its outer surface will be flush with thewall surface after it is installed. In this manner, when installed, thecovering over the switchbox will not protrude from the wall, thus makingit unsightly, nor dig into the wall.

In the average house most of these switchboxes are installed during itsconstruction. Heretofore, much time was spent by the electrician,carpenter, or other artisan in installing these switchboxes. Thealignment of the box and the extension of its outer surface has beendone manually, and oftentimes had to be removed from the stud vandre-aligned. Furthermore, the box, once aligned, had to be held by handwhile it was being secured to the stud or other structural member bynails, or otherwise.

By my invention I have provided a device in which the switchbox may beheld while being secured to the stud `or other structural member and,simultaneously, which will permit proper alignment of the switchbox withrespect to the stud, thus providing the desired extent of its protrusionfrom the stud.

It is, therefore, a principal object of my invention to provide means bywhich an electrical switchbox may be aligned with respect to thestructural member of a building to which it is to be secured.

It is another object of my invention to provide means by which saidswitchbox can be held while being secured to said stud.

It is also an object of my invention to provide means by which the outersurface of said switchbox will extend the desired distance from saidstud when secured thereto.

It is still another object of my invention to provide such means whichwill release said switchbox easily and simply when the switchbox hasbeen secured to said stud.

It is also an object of my invention to provide such means by which thedesired extension of the outer face of the switchbox with respect tosaid stud can be set.

Additional objects of my invention will be apparent from a study of thefollowing disclosure and attached claims in conjunction with thedrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my invention.

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in section, of my invention taken alongthe plane A-A of FIG. 1, including a cross-sectional View of theswitchbox and stud.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of my invention.

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the upper plate of my invention takenalong the plane A-A of FIG. l.

FIG. 5 is an end view of the upper plate shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the lower plate of my invention.

STRUCTURE My box-setting device is shown in FIGS. 1 2, and 3. In FIG. lit is shown in the open configuration prior 3,195,881 Patented July 20,1965 to its being attached to a switchbox or after releasing same, aswill be explained more fully hereinafter.

The principal structural members of my invention are: rod 13, platform14, guide rods 15a, b, c, and d, upper plate 17, lower plate 18, tube19, adjustment knob 22, lever 24, nut 2S, and strap 26.

Referring to FIG. 2, device 10 is shown as it would appear incross-section grasping switchbox 11 in position against stud 12, orother structural member for installation.

Platform 14 is a rigid plate to which is secured, by welding or otherattachment remains, a plurality of guide rods 15a, b, c. and d. Theserods extend upwardly from platform 14. Also, attached to platform 14 isrod 13 which is externally threaded for a purpose which will bedescribed herebelow.

Lower plate 18, parallel to platform 14, contains a hole 18a whichencircles rod 13 and a plurality of holes 13e through which guide rods15 extend. Guide rods 15 are secured to platform 14 at 16a, b, c, -and'drespectively by welding or otherwise. Thus, platform 14, rod 13, androds 15 can move perpendicularly to lower plate 18. As shown moreclearly in FIG. 6, lower plate 18 is undercut as at 1.8i; on both sides,thus providing a groove 18d.

Upper plate 17, as shown more clearly in FIGS. 4 and 5, has an endmember 17a which is perpendicular to the main portion of upper plate 17.The main portion of the plate extending from the end member 17abackwardly therefrom has a downwardly and outwardly inclined surface 17eon each side of such proportions that main portion 17d can slide withingroove 18d of lower plate 18 and surfaces 17e will match surfaces 18b.Thus, when portion 17d of the upper plate has been inserted (lengthwise)in groove 18d, upper plate 17 can move only longitudinally with respectto lower plate 18. It cannot move vertically with respect to lower plate18.

Upper plate 17 contains a slot 17b. When it is inserted within lowerplate 18 as previously described, slot 17h encircles tube 19 which issecured to lower plate 18 by welding or otherwise at 19a. As shown inFIGS. l, 2, and 3 rods 15 are positioned outwardly of upper plate 17.

Tube 19 extends upwardly from lower plate 18 through slot 1712 andencloses the upper portion of rod 13. It is secured to lower plate 18 at19a by welding or otherwise. At the upper end of tube 19 is a flange 19Cwhich contains a hole 19d, the purpose of which will be describedhereinbelow. Extending downwardly into tube 19 is adjustment knob 22which is internally threaded at 22h. The upper end 13b of rod 13 isthreadedly connected within and to knob 22. Knob 22 contains a groove22a into which protrudes ball 21 which is forced upwardly into groove22a by spring 29 which is positioned within hole 19d. The purpose ofthis arrangement will be described hereinbelow.

Tube 19 contains a hole 1gb which is threaded and through which extendsscrew 23. Screw 23 extends into groove 22C cut into knob 22 to preventknob 22 moving vertically with respect to tube 19 when it is rotatedrelative to tube 19.

Lever 24 abuts tube 19 at 241). The lower end 24a of lever 24 iscontained within nut 25 in such manner that lower end 24a can movewithin and relative to nut 25. Lever 24 is maintained against tube 19 bystrap 26 which is secured to tube 19 at 26a, shown more clearly inFIG. 1. Of course, lower end 24a of lever 24 can and does bear againstnut 25 in operation.

OPERATION As previously described, without reference to switchbox 11 orstud 12, the operator of my device 1i) may grasp knob 22 and lever 24 inone hand and grip the Y t Y .o Y: i- Y upper portion of lever 24 againstknob 2,2. This'fo'rces nut 25, and hence upper plate 17, to the right(as shown in FIG. 2), thus forcing end member 17a against lower plate1S, Of course, `upper plate `17 moves relative'to lower plate 18 and,hence, relative to platform 14, rods 15a, tube 19, rod 13, and'knob 22.A spring (not shown) Cil Y which itisto be secured.A

may be inserted between ilange 19o and lever l24 which, t

upon the operators releasing his grip, would force' leverV 24 away fromtube 19, thus forcing the lower end 24a of lever.24'in the oppositedirection. This would force upper plate 17 to the .left with respect tolower plate 13 and to the position'shown in FIG. l, thus leaving the gap18C (FIG. 1) between end ymemberl'la andY lower i plate18. v. To usedevice 10 lever 24 is. forced to the right' withV respect to knob 22Y(FIG. 2) to provide the Vspace 13o between end'memberlla and lowerplate 18. Then, l

de vice 10 is plac'ed'orf/ei` they outer portion of switchbox towardVknob 22, as previouslydescribed; Now, switch"-l box 11 is grippedbetween endmember 17aL and surfaceV 14az of platform 14. ln thisposition it is held as in a vise Vand can be held againstand secured tostud 12, or

However, priorto positioning ,Y

other structural member. switchbox'll, the distance between the outersurface 12a ,of stud`12 and the outer end 11a of switchbox 11 has beenset.

.The distance B-B between the outer surface12a andV t the outer surf-ace11a is set in the following manner:

`Holding tubelr19, and hence ,the entire device 10, firmly,

knob 22 is rotatedin the desired direction either to bring plate 14closer to lower plate 18y or further therefrom. Since screw 23'protrudes intogroove 22C,Y knob 22 will not move relative to lower plate18; rather, upper end 13b of rod. 13 will move withinv knob 22, Vthusmoving, platform 14 relative to lower plate 18, changing the l11 (asshown in FlG.-2) and lever 24 isV forced inwardlf., j j

distance VB-B. Now, unless extra force is exerted on it, knob 22.willVnot move relative to `tube 19 due tothe pressure exerted on. it by ballk21V and spring 2i). Of course, notches can'be provided Vwithinthefupper portion of groove 22ato` increase @the resistanceto suchmove.-` rnent of knob 22. n 1

Once the distance B-Bhas been established and set and switchbox `11 hasbeen securedbetween end VVll'h and end 14a of platform 14, as previouslydescribed, platform` 14 is positioned Y'against .Stud 12 ,as shown inFIG. 2.

Then, switchbox Y11 is secured to stud 12 by nails Vex-V tending throughswitehbox 11, or otherwise. t Y

After this operation has been completed lver 24 forced t0 the kright'(FIG. 2) with respect to knob 22,

manually or otherwise as previously explained.V Then,

box-setting device" 10 is removed ,fromV contact with Y switchbox k11and Stud 12 and anotheroperation is come' menced.

In `each rof. these operations it is apparent that theV said platformand said lower plate.

. A' distance B'-B can lbechanged and the size be accommodated can beVprovided for. i

From the foregoingrit is seen that means have been provided by which anelectrical switchbox may be aligned with respect to the structuralmember of a building to of box H11 t9 Also,`means have'b'een provided bywhich the switchboxcan be held while being. secured to the structuralmember. Y f

Y Further, meansrhave ybeen provided which the outer Ysurface of theswitchbox will extend the desired distance from the structuralmemberwhen secured thereto.

Additionally, means have been provided by which the switchbox can beeasily and simply released when it ha been secured to the structuralmember. Y r Further, means have been provided by which the desiredextensiongof the outer Vface ofthe switchbox, relative to the structuralmember, can beset. k

llt is to be understood that vthe form ofthe invention shown anddescribed herein is tofbe taken as a preferred embodiment 'of same andthat -.various changes, in the Y shape, size, and arangement ofparticulars may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit of theinven-v tion or theV scope of. the attached claims.

What l claim anddesire to Vsecure by Letters Patent is: 1. A-'devicefor'aligning an electrical switchbox'on and Vwith a building rstructuralmember corr'n'nris'ing; Y A lower plate; 'an upper plate slidablycontain'edjin said lower 2. AThe device of claiml wherein said upperplateland said lowerrplate` contain aligned holes and said platform hasscrew means securedto its upper surface, v`Said screw means extendingupwardly through said aligned holes and co-acting` with saidl'adjustment means to change said distance. v v

claim 1 wherein said leverl'rneans ico-acts with said upper plate andsaid-adjustment'means to move said upper plate relative to saidplatform.`

References Cited by the lilxaminelV UruTEDl STATES PATENTS y 2,960,9531x1/60 schneider Y f 269-3 x "WILLIAM w. DYER, JR.,fPfimary Examiner.

`FRANK SUSKO, Examiner. Y w

1. A DEVICE FOR ALIGNING AN ELECTRICAL SWITCHBOX ON AND WITH A BUILDINGSTRUCTURAL MEMBER COMPRISING: A LOWER PLATE; AN UPPER PLATE SLIDABLYCONTAINED IN SAID LOWER PLATE HAVING ONE END EXTENDING BELOW SAID LOWERPLATE; A PLATFORM POSITIONED BELOW SAID LOWER PLATE HAVING A PLURALITYOF GUIDE RODS EXTENDING UPWARDLY THROUGH SAID LOWER PLATE; LEVER MEANSCONNECTED TO SAID UPPER PLATE TO MOVE SAID ONE END OF SAID UPPER PLATERELATIVE TO SAID PLATFORM TO RELEASABLY HOLD SAID SWITCHBOX BETWEEN SAIDONE END OF SAID UPPER PLATE AND SAID PLATFORM; AND ADJUSTMENT MEANSSECURED TO SAID LOWER PLATE AND CO-ACTING WITH SAID PLATFORM FORCHANGING THE DISTANCE BETWEEN SAID PLATFORM AND SAID LOWER PLATE.